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What techniques do you use to help you keep focus?

My finals are coming up and I have a lot of content to go over. I'm a very distracted person and in the end of the day, I feel like I wasn't productive at all. I tried meditating with the app headspace and it helps sometimes. I already turn my phone off while studying, but the problem is: my mind wanders off even when I don't have any physical distractions. Do you have any tips on how to keep focus while studying? #studies #studying-tips #focusing #finals

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Elizabeth’s Answer

You might try listening to classical music while you study or every 30 minutes to an hour or so of studying get up and take a short 5 to 10 minute walk to get your blood flow moving again. Hope this helps. Good luck!

Thank you comment icon Hello! I go a place with the least distractions (library), turn off my phone, and no television either. I take breaks about every 30 minutes for about 10-15 minutes of a favorite activity. I write down my study schedule and my classes and make sure I am aware of my deadlines. Also, see if you can find a study group. It is better sometimes with other people. Lara
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Courtney’s Answer

When I was in school I started using an app called Rainy Moods. It plays rain storms on loop, which provided the perfect white noise to keep my mind from wandering. I still use it to this day when I'm at work and really need to focus on meeting a deadline!

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Scott’s Answer

In today's world there is so much information around us it is becoming even more challenging to remain focused. Something that I practice when I notice that I am beginning to lose focus is to take a few seconds/minutes to do breathing exercises. You can do this anywhere! Finding a quiet and peaceful area always helps as well! A quick Google search of "breathing exercises" will provide you with several options. Again, it doesn't need to be very long. Just a couple deep breaths will help!

Being aware that you are distracted or losing focus is a good thing. Take that moment to "reset" yourself.

Also make sure you take frequent breaks!
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Alexandra (Sasha)’s Answer

Figure out your most alert and productive part of the day, and save your most complex tasks for that period of time. Try to minimize distractions. Put your phone away! Make sure you take care of yourself re food and drinks. You need the fuel. Partition your work or studying into manageable chunks and take a break between each one. Even a quick 5 min break is good enough to clear your head, rest your ideas, and let those ideas you've been trying to understand consolidate and get into your long term brain storage areas.


Give yourself little rewards for meeting your goals. You will learn something better if you explain it to someone else, out loud, than if you merely highlight and re-read your highlighting. Or if you don't have someone around handy, take your notes and highlighting, and turn those into new, condensed notes or outlines. This is an old law school technique.


If you find after a while that even the short breaks aren't doing it for you, step away for a good while and come back when you are feeling refreshed and able to focus again.

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Bethany’s Answer

I would add that diet and exercise is extremely important to concentration. For example, drinking caffeine may be great to help you concentrate at first but once it starts to wear off, it's likely that your concentration will slump and you'll be even less productive. My advice is to skip the caffeine, eat super healthy food like lean meats, leafy greens and fruits for energy. Make sure you work out several times a week. It might sound weird, but if find that if I work out and then sit down to study or concentrate on something the relaxation and focus is there. Incorporate these things into your diet and you should be off to a good start.

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Greg’s Answer

Try studying away from your normal places. If you normally study in your dorm/bedroom, try studying at the library. Being away from normal distractions and places where you know you have other options can help. Also make a list of what you need to study. It sounds simple but it works, having an actual list of what you need to accomplish and crossing if off as you complete it, not only works it gives you a reinforcing sense of accomplishment. Not to mention when you start feeling like you haven't accomplished anything that day, you can look back at your list and know different.


If you like this idea and want to carry it a bit further you can schedule your studying (use your phone calendar)so you have time limits which will also create a target to help drive you. If you set time limits for each topic then you may find that you are more driven to complete the task at hand.

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sundara’s Answer

the best way I have experienced to be focused is to have a morning workout with Meditation for 12 minutes. It sounds very simple, but found it to be very effective.

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Andria’s Answer

Find something soothing to listen to. Ocena noises or soft music, it will keep your mind occupied a little more. Make sure you dont have any other distractions. Turn off TV and music you like to listen to.


Take breaks every hour for 5-10 minutes. during that time go for a walk, wash dishes or clean your bedroom. then go back at it.


You can teach yourself to focus on one thing by doing little things to keep yourself relaxed.

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Kathy’s Answer

Hi,


In addition to the ideas above, it helps me to do it at a time of day when I'm at my most alert. If you can figure out when those times are, use those slots to tackle the bulk of the content. I've found that if I'm able to start a session strong, I last longer and learn/retain more. At that point, once you find you cannot stop your mind from wandering, take a break to do something physical for a bit. Physical activity can help get your mind back on track. If there's something specific that is dragging your mind away from what you need to study, see if there's some way to address that.


Good luck!

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Sandra’s Answer

I agree that music helps, for me instrumental music is best otherwise I start singing along with the songs and pretending I'm on stage. So funny


Focusing is important to produce quality work, move all the distraction away go for it.

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Saurabh’s Answer

Music is an option.
Try studying in a closed room where there is not a lot of direct distraction.
Try studying late at night, so noises would be minimum.
Try studying in 1 hr shifts followed by 10 min breaks.
Use something to set yourself a target (a score you want to achieve or something) and print that and paste it right in front of your eyeline where you study. Whenever your mind wanders off that will remind you of your goal and get you back

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